So here is a question for you: How is your life better now that you are a Christian? This is a question that I was asked by one of our contacts the other day. For me I have known no other way. I was born and raised a Christadelphian; so I had to think a little harder about my response than I thought I would have. I'm not going to tell you what I said, but I thought I would just just raise the question for you to think about. What would you say? Where would you start? What would you tell them about your life that would impact them in such a way that they would want the same. One thing that I learnt was that its the simple things that Jesus taught that have the real power - "Love your enemies."
Before I answered this question I had a chance to answer some others. A real new experience for me was to look someone in the eyes and tell them that Christ was coming to judge the world. We spoke of repentance, the judgement and the Kingdom of God (my favorite - Isaiah 2: 1 - 5; 11: 5 - 9; 25: 8 - 9). This really drove things home for me. This was the first time I had actually told someone these things from start to finish; which made me ask the question - "why hadn't I done this before?" Today (4th Feb) s my birthday. I have been baptised 7 years. It took me 7 years to tell someone that Christ was coming to judge the world and I don't intend to stop. Christ is coming - I always knew that he that he was coming to bring the good things, but now the condemnation of world seems a little more real. Those who don't know Christ will perish. So I have another question: "when will be the first time that you tell people that are headed for destruction?"
It makes you think.
Love,
James
Before I answered this question I had a chance to answer some others. A real new experience for me was to look someone in the eyes and tell them that Christ was coming to judge the world. We spoke of repentance, the judgement and the Kingdom of God (my favorite - Isaiah 2: 1 - 5; 11: 5 - 9; 25: 8 - 9). This really drove things home for me. This was the first time I had actually told someone these things from start to finish; which made me ask the question - "why hadn't I done this before?" Today (4th Feb) s my birthday. I have been baptised 7 years. It took me 7 years to tell someone that Christ was coming to judge the world and I don't intend to stop. Christ is coming - I always knew that he that he was coming to bring the good things, but now the condemnation of world seems a little more real. Those who don't know Christ will perish. So I have another question: "when will be the first time that you tell people that are headed for destruction?"
It makes you think.
Love,
James
Comments
you made me think.
god bless
Here's how I think true Christianity has something to offer that suffering country. You might have learned to say the First Noble Truth in Khmer as "muyn rup, muyn tuk". It's about dukkha, the suffering that is always part of life - at best, when everything seems to be going well, life's deep underlying unsatisfactoriness. It's true: while there's life there's suffering, and it's also true that we can minimise pain by detachment, as the Buddha taught ... BUT the Christian way is to add a third ingredient, and that makes all the difference.
While there's love there's life, while there's life there's suffering; and suffering for the sake of love is something to engage with, with all our heart, not something to detach from. That engagement with human suffering leads to life again - and more suffering, but ultimately to the glory of God and eternal life.
That's the message of the cross, and you guys are showing it just by being there. Hang on, survive, stick together at all costs, God be with you.
Sorry we didnt send u a msg on the day... Our calander says your birthday is not until next week.
So.... maybe you'll get a msg next week!
I love reading your blog's guys so keep them up.
Do you have a phone connected to the flat? Now that we have VOIP connected its nice and cheap to make phone calls.
Love to all.
Nick, Irene, Liam & Hayley